Jane Devonshire blew the judges away on MasterChef earlier this year with her showstopping creations. Here, she unveils an exclusive spatchcock chicken recipe that's perfect for a summer family feast.

'I love this recipe in the summer – it's easy to make and packs a big flavour punch,' says Jane. 'You can barbecue the chicken or cook it in the oven and, because it's a really vibrant shade of red, it looks great on the table.'

Total Time: 3hr 10mins

Prep: 0hr 10mins

Cook: 1hr 00mins

Level:
Easy

Serves:
4-6

Ingredients

1 1.8kg (4lb) chicken – ask your butcher if he can spatchcock it for you

Olive oil, to drizzle

Lemon juice, to drizzle

For the marinade:

1 tbsp. smoked paprika

2 tbsp. lemon juice

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp. salt

50 g. butter

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade thoroughly in a bowl.

Put the chicken on a baking tray, breast-side down, and smear on the marinade with a spoon. You probably need about 2-3 dessertspoons to cover it fully.

Turn the chicken over and use a sharp knife to cut into the breast diagonally. Make two cuts to each breast about two-thirds of the way through. Do the same on the thighs of the chicken, making 1 cut on each one so that the chicken cooks evenly.

Cover the chicken with the rest of the marinade, pushing it into the cuts of the chicken. You can do this with your hands – but wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained bright red!

Leave the chicken to marinate for 1-2hrs.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan) gas 6. Dab knobs of butter on the chicken and cook for 1hr or until the juices run clear. You can barbecue the chicken or, if you are unsure of cooking times for a whole chicken, cook in oven for 45min, then remove and finish off on the barbecue.

Once cooked, drizzle a little olive oil and lemon juice on to the chicken and leave it to rest for 10-15min before carving or jointing. Serve with salad or Jersey Royal potatoes covered in butter and mint, which I love.

Read our interview with Jane Devonshire – and her exclusive cooking tips – in the August issue of Prima magazine, on sale next week!

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